Electroplating-rack.



G. E. & J. D. LEFFBL. BLEUTROPLATING RACK. APPLICATION FILED MAYJ, 1913.

1 ,085,744. Patent zed Feb. 3, 1914.

I the electrolyte,

mg is a spec CLARENCE EDWARD LEFFEL AND JOHN DAVID LEFFEL,

YORK, ASSIGNORS TO THE or NIAGARA FALLS, NEW

SPIRELLA COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, A CORPOBA'IION 01 NEW YORK.

BLEGTROPLATING-RAGK.

Specification of'Letters Patent.

' Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

application filed Iay 7, i913. Serial No. 766,147.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, CLARENCE EDWARD LEFFEL and Jomq DAVID LEFFEL, bothresidents of Niagara Falls in the county of Niagara and State of llewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electroplatin-Ra.'cks, of which the followication.

This invention troplating tanks;

The object of the invention is to provide a simple form of plating rackfor carrying or supporting in the electrolyte solution the articles tobe plated, and wherein a large number of articles can be suspended outof contact with each other from the same rack, therebv'securing a" goodplating action.

A further object of the invention is to provide a plating rack in whichthe supports for the various articles are formed with a very smallsurface in contact with to thereby reduce the amount of metal depositedupon the supporting members, increase the capacity of the plating tank,and decrease the resistance of the tank, which is usually increased bythe deposition of large quantities of the metal upon the supports forthe various articles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a plating rack embodyingadjustable means for supporting the same at any level beneath theconducting bar, so that the articles can always be immersed. at theproper depth in the electrolyte solution, irrespective of its level inthe tank.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a detail side elevation of aplating rack embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view, showingthe rack adjusted to a different position; Fig. 3 is a plan view of therack; Fig. 4 is a detail section on the line H, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is adetail cross section on the line sectional elevation, on a reducedscale, through an electroplating tank, showings plating rack in positiontherein.

Relates to racks for elec- The electroplating tank or cell is indi--cated preferred size, shape or construction. Above at 1, and may be ofany suitable or,

.the tank is suitably supported a conductor.

suspended in the usual manner.

bar or bars 2, from which the anodes 3 arc 4 representsconductor bars,rods or tubes, l

.vided with upstanding of which there may be any suitable number, fromwhich the electroplating rack and the articles to be plated aresuspended.

The electroplating rack comprises a body member 5, in the form of a longbar or rod, which may be of any suitable shape in cross section, in thepresent case rectangular.

aid bar or rod at its opposite ends is prolugs or cars 6, to which arepivotally connected, as on the rivets 7 a pair of suspending orsupporting arms 8. ese arms cross each other above the middle of the baror rod 5 and are provldod at their upper ends with book members 9,adapted to be hooked over or around the conducting bar or rod 4. Thearms 8 are shown as formed of round bars which are flattened where theycross each other, as at 10, the flattened portions being providedwithlongitudinal slots or openings 11 through which passes a connectingrivet or pivot member 12. Pivot 12 is slidable loosely-in thelongitudinal slots of both ofthe arms 8, for a purpose to be hereinafterreferred to. i

The main body member or bar 5 is provided along its length with aplurality of closely spaced transverse apertures or openings 13, throuwhich are threaded the supports 14 for the articles to be plated. Asshown, these supports are formed of wire of small cross section, andwhich may be made of any per, aluminum, German silver, steel or thelike. The individual supporting members are of U-shape, with theiropposite arms threaded through a pair of adjacent apertures 13. The freeends'of the supports are bent or deflected downwardly at the sidesof themain body member 5, as shown in Fig. 5, and their lower ends are bentinto any suitable hook form to receive the articles 15 to be plated.Preferably, the apertures 13 are made of a size to receive two of thearms of oppositely disposed supporting members 14, as shown in Fig. 4.Obviously, other arrangements for lacing the wires forming thesupporting members 14 through the apertures in the bar 5 may be used,although the arrangement shown is preferred. In any event, such a lacingarrangement will be used as will provide downwardly extending hooks orarms at each end of each of I the apertures 13, thereby obtaining the vthe longitudinal slots 11 during adjusting maximum number of supportsfor the articles 15.

The arms 8' which support the plating rack are adjustable with referenceto each other so as to enable the rack to be suspended at diflerentdistances below the conductor bar 4:, thereby enabling the articles 15to be plated to be full immersed in the electrolyte, irrespective 0 itslevel, without unduly immersing the plating rack. Com parison of Figs. 1and 2 shows how the arms can be adjusted with reference to each other bymerely altering their angular relation, the pivotal rivet 12 slidinglengthwise in movement of the arms with reference to each other. I p

16 represents a loop of strong wire or the like which is passed aroundthe two arms 8, and the opposite ends of which are adapted to engage innotches 17 'formed in said arms. By placing the loop 16 in the properpair of notches 17, the arms 8 may be lo-- cated in any position, withthe main body member5 at the proper distance above the surface of theelectrolyte to just immerse the articles 15 therein.

The body member 5 and arms 8 maybe formed of any suitable material, andpreferably of copper, steel or other metal of good electricalconductivity, although any con:

ducting material may be used.

The articles to be plated are suspended from the several hooks 14 andthe arms 8 are then adjusted to the proper position with respect to thelevel of the electrolyte in the tank. The hooks 9 are then placed overthe conductor bar 4 and the articles allowed to remain in theelectrolyte until fully plated. The plating rack with the articlesthereon is then removed bodily from the plating tank and the articleswashed or cleaned in clean water and then removed from the rack, whichis used over again.

The rack described is of large capacity,

that is, it enables a large number of articles to be\plated in the sametank at the same time. The articles may be supported out of contact witheach other so that a good plating effect u on all articles is obtained.

Moreover, t e supports. for the various articles are formed of wireofcomparatively small cross section, so that the total surface of thesupports immersed in the electrolyte is very small. Ijhis reduces theamount of metal plated upon the supports and therefore increases thecapacity of a given tank. Moreover, it takes a longer time for the metalto deposit upon the supporting wires to such an extent asto appreciablyafiect the resistance of the tank, so that the supporting wires onlyhave to be renewed at infrequent intervals. When coated to such anextent as to affect the resistance of the tank the wires can bereadilyremoved and new wires threaded through the openings 1 the bar or rod 5.

What we claim is 1- 1. A. platin' rack comprising a bar or rod providedwit a pair of horizontally disposed apertures exteriding therethroughfrom side to side, means for suspending said supporting articles to beplated, comprising a pair of U-shaped wire members, each memterminalhooks, the arms of said members being threaded through said aperturesinopposite directions to provide a pair of depending hooks on each sideof said bar.

2. Aplating rack comprising a bar or rod provided with horizontallydlsposed apertures extending therethrough from side to side, means forsuspending said bar or rod from a conductor, and means for supportingarticles to be plated, comprising U- shaped wire members, each havingtwo-parallel arms provided with terminal hooks, the arms of one *memberbeing threaded through a pair of said apertures in one dipair ofdepending hooks on each side of said bar.

3. A lating rack comprising a bar or rod provide with a plurality ofclosely spaced apertures therethrough, means for suspending said bar orrod from a conductor and means for supporting articles to be plated,

said members having a pair of arms provided with terminal hooks, thearms of each member being threaded through a pair of apertures-in saidbar with the hooks of each {)nember depending onv the same side of the1-. A ilating rack comprising a bar or rod provide with a plurality ofclosely spaced apertures therethrough, means for suspending said bar orrod from a conductor, and

comprising a plurality of U-shaped wire .members, each member having twoparallel arms provided with terminal hooks, the arms of each memberbeing threaded through a pair of adjacent apertures in said bar in thesame direction, the hooks on the arms of some members depending on oneside, and the hooks on the arms of other rod.

ber, means secured thereto for supporting articles to be plated, and apair of arms connected together, said arms belng provided with hooksadapted to be placed over a conductingbar.

bar or rod from a conductor, and means for her having two parallel 'armsprovided with- 5. A plating rack comprising a body mem rection, and thearms of another member being threaded through a pair of said aperturesin the opposite direction, to provide a comprising U-shaped wiremembers, each of I means for supporting articles to be plated,

members on the other side of said bar or secured to said body member andpivotally 6. A plating rack comprising a body member, means securedthereto for supporting articles to be plated, a pair of arms pivotallyconnected to said body member and to each other, said arms beingarranged for connection to a conductor, and means for look ing said armsin various angular relations.

7. A plating rack comprising a body member, means secured threto forsupporting articles to be plated, a pair of arms pivotally connected tosaid body member, said ber, means secured thereto for supportingarticles to be plated, a pair of arms pivotally connected to said bodymember, said arms intermediate their ends being provided withlongitudinal slots, a pivot member passing through the slotsbeingarranged for connection to a conducting member, and a loop passingaround said arms for locking the same in different adjusted positions.

In testimony set our hands.

CLARENCE EDWARD LEFFEL. JOHN DAVID LEFFEL. Witnesses: HARRY E. WInLIAMs,

HAZEL E. BEEGLE.

whereof we have hereunto of said arms, said arms

